Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more

Download & Play

Questions

Newspaper Page Text

Louis Altz, investigator for the
Merriani crime commission, is ex
pected to go on the stand before the
commission late this afternoon and
complete his exposure of collusion
between criminals and police. Aid.
Merriam expects to ask Hoyne to
take this story before the grand jury.l
Eddie Jackson, the notorious pick
pocket and acknowledged "king of
the dips," may be brought back from
Joliet penitentiary to testify against
the "crime trust."
Jackson was sent down to Joliet
about a year ago after the news
papers were daily filled with accounts
of his jobs and his apparent immun
ity from the law.
It is charged by his friends that
Jackson was only sent to prison be
cause coppers he had been doing
business with finally double-crossed
him to save their own necks.
Jackson is now in a very sullen
mood in the pen. There was no
parole forthcoming when his first
eleven months were up. And it is
rumored that the "king of the dips"
feels pretty sore because some of his
former associates are walking the
streets of Chicago while he is pining
away in his little cell.
Efforts were made to get Jackson
before his conviction, but Eddie was
about as tight as a clam. He would
never squawk, he asserted. But that
was when he was receiving all kinds
of promises of ultimate freedom from
his pals. t
Jackson was a habitue of
Bertsche's saloon which Barney used
to run on Randolph street next to the
temporary City Hall. It was there
Jackson met the coppers in a friendly
way.
And it was in Bertsche's that Eddie
wised up to the tricks of the "com
bine." So if Hoyne gets Eddie to talk he
will have accomplished a long step in
the clearing up of the secrets of the
gang.
Hoyne yesterday admitted that he
had secured statements from wit
nesses concerning the existence of a
crime combine.
There is also a "mysterious wo
man" involved in the case. Accord
ing to the dope handed out, this wo
man knew of the plot to get Barney.
Her identity was kept secret. But
after a long session with the woman,
Hoyne announced that he had secur
ed such valuable evidence that he was
ready to take the facts before the
grand jury almost immediatly.
Eye-witnesses to the Randolph
street revolver battle have corro
borated the story told by Barney
Bertsche.
The trial board and a grand jury
action may be the lot pf the two
"dicks" who were charged by crime
investigators with accepting bribes to
"cover up" men posing as "dips."
Aid. Merriam, chairman of the
crime committee, offered to furnish
State's Att'y Hoyne with a copy of
the testimony in which the investi
gators declare that they gave Detec
tive Sergeants Harry Power and
Michael Mulvey $40 while posing as
"dips."
Chief Gleason declared that if the
investigators would swear to the
complaint he would prefer charges
against the two detectives that would
probably result in their being fired.
Policeman Charles Kelley, who is
supposed by some to have been the
"mysterious stranger" who partici
pated in the battle, is still held l
Hoyne. His story is not clear, the
state's attorney says, and he is in
custody awaiting a further question
ing. Kelley is supposed to have hur
ried from the battle scene to pho
the news of the fray to "Billy" Skid
more's West Side saloon.
o o
HIS SOLE AIM
Reporter To what do you con
sider, sir, that you owe your great
age?
Centenarian To smokin', young
man. I'm collectin' cigar coupons to
get a piano, an' by heck! I'll do it
'fore I' die, Judge. -